First report of exocrine pancreatic carcinoma with abdominal carcinomatosis in a European mink (Mustela Lutreola)

Abstract

Background

Exocrine pancreatic carcinoma has been rarely reported in the Mustelidae family, with occasional descriptions in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) and other species. Although the European mink (Mustela lutreola) belongs to this family, exocrine pancreatic carcinoma has never been documented in this species. The aim of this report is to describe a case of exocrine pancreatic carcinoma with abdominal carcinomatosis in a European mink.

Case: A six-year-old, 0.79 kg, non-neutered male European mink from a French zoological institution presented an abdominal distension and difficulty defecating for several days.

Diagnostic Examinations: Physical examination and ultrasonography revealed a perirenal effusion adjacent to a 4 cm abdominal mass. Fine-needle aspiration of the effusion yielded haemorrhagic fluid. Biochemical analysis indicated renal impairment, while haematological evaluation revealed non-regenerative anaemia and lymphopenia. The animal died a few minutes after anaesthesia induction. Post-mortem examination identified a haemorrhagic abdominal effusion and a 4 cm neoplastic mass located near the mesenteric lymph node and pancreas. The tumour had infiltrated the left kidney and liver. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic carcinoma with mesenteric carcinomatosis affecting the liver and kidney.

Clinical Relevance: To the best of our knowledge, this condition has not been previously reported in the European mink.